We used to hear about sex workers, but a lot of us do not really understand what goes on behind the scene, such as the sex trade and the lives of the sex workers. The job as a prostitute is usually discriminated. How many of us have thought about how dangerous this job can be and how sad it is for a woman to hold such a job? One of the main purposes of our Advocacy tour is to give visitors a better understanding of a sex worker’s life.
3 visitors joined our Advocacy Tour on 5 December 2009. They visited the sex workers’ family and were surprised and sad as they hear the sex worker shared her difficulties of the job. The 31 year old mother who is working as a sex-worker at the park sustains life-threatening injuries.
“I started to be involved with this job through my friend,” said the 31 year old sex worker. “I first came to Phnom Penh to work as a factory worker, but after that, my friend introduced me to work at the karaoke. She probably got paid from my boss for bringing me there. A few years later, the boss doesn’t want me anymore because of my age. So, I moved to stay with my boyfriend for around two years in this area. He was a moto-taxi driver. After I became pregnant for 1 to 2 months, he abandoned me. Then, I decided to work with my neighbours at the park. Sometimes, no clients approach me and I will have to borrow the money from the landlord. I have to pay a very high interest in return. When my son turned 2 weeks old, I started to go back to work. Now, my son is already 2.5 months, but I still don’t have enough milk for breast feeding. I also don’t have enough money to buy milk powder for him. So, I feed him with packages of sweet milk. Recently, the police often come to the park to chase us away. As a result, I have no income. My parents still do not know what I do for a living, they thought I am working in the restaurant. I really don’t know how to face them if they were to find out one day.”
It seems to Mr. Colin that it is not surprising to see the number of brothels in Phnom Penh but what makes this trip incomparable is the opportunity to visit the sex worker and their families.
Mr Colin said, “I have seen many place like this before and I used to hear about the prevalence of prostitution. I have been to Cambodia over the last 10 years and I am helping out a lot in charity for this country. However, I have never really been to their houses and listened to their stories. What hit me most is when I witnessed the struggles that a single mother had to go through to support herself and her 2.5 months old baby by becoming a sex worker.”
Lisa, who is one of the advocacy tour’s clients also shared with us that after this trip, she is more appreciative of the type of life she can live back home!
We at Riverkids, would really like to thank Mr Colin and his friends for his support in our Baby Bellies Programme. A malnourished kid has just been added to the programme and is now able to start receiving proper nutrition. We look forward to seeing the kid catch up with the other healthy kids!
3 visitors joined our Advocacy Tour on 5 December 2009. They visited the sex workers’ family and were surprised and sad as they hear the sex worker shared her difficulties of the job. The 31 year old mother who is working as a sex-worker at the park sustains life-threatening injuries.
“I started to be involved with this job through my friend,” said the 31 year old sex worker. “I first came to Phnom Penh to work as a factory worker, but after that, my friend introduced me to work at the karaoke. She probably got paid from my boss for bringing me there. A few years later, the boss doesn’t want me anymore because of my age. So, I moved to stay with my boyfriend for around two years in this area. He was a moto-taxi driver. After I became pregnant for 1 to 2 months, he abandoned me. Then, I decided to work with my neighbours at the park. Sometimes, no clients approach me and I will have to borrow the money from the landlord. I have to pay a very high interest in return. When my son turned 2 weeks old, I started to go back to work. Now, my son is already 2.5 months, but I still don’t have enough milk for breast feeding. I also don’t have enough money to buy milk powder for him. So, I feed him with packages of sweet milk. Recently, the police often come to the park to chase us away. As a result, I have no income. My parents still do not know what I do for a living, they thought I am working in the restaurant. I really don’t know how to face them if they were to find out one day.”
It seems to Mr. Colin that it is not surprising to see the number of brothels in Phnom Penh but what makes this trip incomparable is the opportunity to visit the sex worker and their families.
Mr Colin said, “I have seen many place like this before and I used to hear about the prevalence of prostitution. I have been to Cambodia over the last 10 years and I am helping out a lot in charity for this country. However, I have never really been to their houses and listened to their stories. What hit me most is when I witnessed the struggles that a single mother had to go through to support herself and her 2.5 months old baby by becoming a sex worker.”
Lisa, who is one of the advocacy tour’s clients also shared with us that after this trip, she is more appreciative of the type of life she can live back home!
We at Riverkids, would really like to thank Mr Colin and his friends for his support in our Baby Bellies Programme. A malnourished kid has just been added to the programme and is now able to start receiving proper nutrition. We look forward to seeing the kid catch up with the other healthy kids!
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